A large number of vehicles may be located in a particular area, such as a lot of an automobile auction facility or a large automobile dealership. Oftentimes, it is desirable to make these vehicles readily available for entry by authorized users, such as salesmen who may want to show a vehicle to a potential customer. However, it is also desirable to protect the vehicles from unauthorized access, vandalism, and theft.
To make vehicles readily accessible for entry by authorized persons, lock boxes are often used. In a typical application, lock boxes are attached to each vehicle on the lot where a vehicle key is placed inside the lock box and the lock box is locked. Master keys which open any of the lock boxes are then given to the authorized persons, such as vehicle salesmen. When a customer wants to look inside a vehicle or take it for a test drive, any sales person can unlock the box using the master key, and can remove the vehicle key so that the engine can be started and the vehicle taken for a test drive. When the sales person is through showing the vehicle, the vehicle key is placed back into the lock box and the lock box is locked to be ready for the next interested customer.
Due to the large number of vehicles on such lots and the multitude of users with access to the vehicles, it is difficult to know at any given moment the location of a particular vehicle. As a result, a great deal of time and effort can be expended locating these misplaced vehicles. In fact, hours can be spent looking for a vehicle which is no longer on the lot. In addition, it is difficult to obtain information regarding the activities of persons having access to the vehicles, such as how many vehicles did they access, which vehicles they accessed, the time of the access, etc. It is also difficult to obtain information regarding the use of the vehicles, such as how many vehicles were accessed, which vehicles were accessed the most, etc.
Prior art systems have been developed to track vehicles. However, many of these systems are directed towards tracking a single vehicle over a wide area when precisely instructed to do so. For example, several systems have been developed to track stolen vehicles. While these systems may work well for their intended purpose, they do not provide for continuous location of a plurality of vehicles within a designated area such as a vehicle lot, but typically track stolen vehicles over much larger areas, such as a city or state, after notification of the theft. In addition, such systems often rely on complex and expensive equipment such as GPS systems or cellular technology which may be cost prohibitive or inapplicable to a multitude of vehicles within a specific area. In addition, such systems do not provide information as to who accessed the vehicle.
Some systems have been developed for monitoring vehicles on a lot. U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,579 to Carter discloses a security key control system which includes a lock box mounted on a vehicle which contains a vehicle key. Unique xe2x80x9cmasterxe2x80x9d keys, each of which can open the lock box, are given to different users with each key identified with a particular person. When, a master key is used to open the lock box to obtain a vehicle key a key identification system identifies which master key was used. A transmitter within the lock box transmits the key identification to a computer via a central transceiver. The identity of the user of the master key can then be determined by identifying the user associated with that particular master key. To identify a vehicle, a separate transmitter periodically transmits a vehicle identification number to a central transceiver and computer. Alternatively, a passive transponder is concealed within the vehicle which, upon receiving an energized signal from the lock box, broadcasts a vehicle identification number which the lock box transmitter relays to a master transceiver through pole units on the lot.
While fit for its purpose, the Carter patent does not provide continuous accurate location information of vehicles on a very large lot. In addition, the system requires multiple transmitters for each vehicle and the use of multiple pole receivers to relay messages to the central transceiver as well as a key identification device for identifying the master key used to open the lockbox.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,618 to Jenkins discloses a vehicle alarm and lot monitoring system which monitors a plurality of vehicles congregated together on a lot. A transponder is hidden in each vehicle and connected to the vehicle""s battery. A particular vehicle is located on the lot by transmitting a vehicle location signal, including a unique identification code for the particular vehicle sought, which is received by the hidden transponder. After receipt of the signal, the vehicle""s horn, lights, alarm, etc. is energized to assist in locating the vehicle.
While fit for its intended purpose, the Jenkins patent does not provide for the continuous accurate location of each vehicle on the lot. In addition, it does not give the accurate positional location, i.e., the geospatial location of the vehicle on the lot or record the vehicle""s locations, but merely assists a user in finding a particular vehicle on a lot by honking the horn, flashing lights, etc. which, especially on very large lots, may be insufficient for a user to locate the vehicle.
Having accurate vehicle location information of each vehicle on a large vehicle lot would not only assist a person in locating a particular vehicle, but would allow for notification that a vehicle is not on the lot at all. For example, the vehicle could be out for a test drive, having maintenance performed, or even stolen. In any case, to know that the vehicle is not on the lot will save the sales person a lot of frustration searching for a vehicle which is not on the lot. Accurate vehicle location will also help provide valuable information regarding the activities of persons accessing the vehicles, such as salesmen, as well as information regarding the use of the vehicles themselves.
Thus, there is a need for a simple, convenient, and inexpensive method and system for accurately locating vehicles on a large lot. There is also a need for a method which continuously provides accurate vehicle location with low power usage to allow for the tracking of vehicle over extended time periods without the need to frequently change batteries. There is also a need for a system and method which provides information as to the access of vehicles on a large lot.
The present invention provides a unique combination of technologies which allows for the inexpensive and accurate location of vehicles on a large lot and the gathering of valuable information as to the access of the vehicle. The synergistic aspects of the combination of technologies allows for a system which can track a multitude of vehicles over a predetermined area with low power requirements such that the system can operate over extended periods due to the resulting extended battery life. The low cost and long term tracking abilities makes the system practical for large vehicle lots and avoids the need for frequent battery replacement.
A lock box unit is attached to each of a plurality of vehicles on a vehicle lot. Each lock box unit includes a lockable key box which serves as a storage compartment for storing a key for a vehicle. A lock box unit also includes a locator unit which provides for the location of the lock box unit. A locator unit receives polling signals, which include an address of the particular locator unit to be located, from a base station which transmits the polling signal using standard pager technology. The locator unit retrieves the polling signal and processes the signal protocol to determine if the address transmitted matches its own unique address, and, if so, it responds with a response signal containing its address and a data packet that includes its own unique status and alarm conditions. The response signal sent by the locator unit is a wireless RF spread spectrum transmission band that is received by at least three receiving antenna towers. The receiving antenna towers receive the locator unit transmission and relay it back to a base station computing device. The computing device measures the time-of-arrival of the signal sent by the locator unit to the receiving antennas and, measured relative to the signal sent by the locator unit, the location of the item can be determined to within approximately +/xe2x88x9210 feet.
The locator unit includes a paging or polling receiver, a spread spectrum transmitter, a micro-controller, an antenna, and a self contained (battery) power supply. The lock box unit may also include a motion sensor and an anti-tampering alarm to detect alarm conditions. The lock box unit may also include an identification device which obtains an identification code associated with the person accessing the key box. This identification information can either be stored in a local memory at the lock box unit or relayed to the central computer via the locator unit transmitter. A clock may also be used to record the times of entry of the lock box as well as to prevent the opening of the lock box unit during predetermined time periods such as when the vehicle lot is closed.
The lock box units are polled using standard U.S. paging technology. Thus, the responses of the lock box transmitter can be adjusted in accordance with desired battery life, security levels, etc. For instance, if it is known that a vehicle will or will not be moving, the locator unit can be polled more or less frequently.
The lock box transmitter uses spread spectrum signals for transmitting responses. This allows for the extension of battery life by allowing for lower signal strength which can still be readily understood without interference. The lock box transmitters may also transmit alarms without being polled, but may do so only during certain time slots of the protocol.